Following the violence that overtook our nation’s Capitol after a group of extremists breached the historic building during the congressional certification of the 2020 Electoral College votes, Democrats and the corporate media breathlessly reported that state capitols all over the nation would face a similar fate at the hands of deplorable Trump supporters.
After the FBI allegedly leaked to the press a bulletin about the coming attacks, the media and their lawmaking friends readily amplified it. States then called in the National Guard and fortified their capitols, and Americans around the country prepared for a veritable war this past weekend.
“What happened on Jan. 6 … might not be the end of the insurrection, but the beginning,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., told NPR right after the Capitol riot. “We need to be concerned.”
This FBI warning is very disturbing, An internal FBI bulletin obtained by @CNN says: "Armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols from 16 January through at least 20 January, and at the US Capitol from 17 January through 20 January.” Details in @CNNSitRoom 5-7PM ET
— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) January 11, 2021
That imminent war, however, never materialized. To the shock of many, the streets remained nearly silent, with only a handful of peaceful protesters showing up at several statehouses. As The New York Times reported after the fact:
Outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol there were so few protesters that reporters lined up on the sidewalk to interview a man who gave his name only as Alex and wore a sweatshirt that said ‘Fraud 2020.’ Reporters then turned to a man named Eddie who was selling ‘Biden is not my president’ T-shirts but who left soon after for lack of customers.
Despite all the fearmongering, the violence never erupted. It’s worth asking: Why?
1. Questionable Sources and Media Pile-On
It’s unclear where exactly the FBI gathered that violent agitators would be “storming” every statehouse, but as journalist Jordan Schachtel noted in his newsletter, “The Dossier,” the agency’s bulletin seems to be connected to a protest flyer that appeared on the aggregator website of the Boogaloo movement, a disorganized group of activists ranging from far-left “defund the police” demonstrators to alt-right white nationalists.
Regardless of the source, this sort of overhyped nonsense, often manufactured in the deep state and proclaimed by the media, repeats itself constantly.
“After digging deeper into these claims, I found that they are not only incredibly exaggerated and don’t hold up to much scrutiny,” Schachtel said, “but even more disturbingly, seem to be part of an information operation similar to what has embroiled the FBI in many controversies over the past several years.”
I’m old enough to remember when the FBI said, based on a Democratic National Committee-funded, shady dossier authored by British spy Christopher Steele, that Trump was an agent of Russia and conspired to steal the 2016 presidential election. The media ran with it maniacally until a yearslong and $32-million investigation revealed — oops, no collusion.
FBI involvement or not, so-called reporters in the corporate media make their livings off spouting insane predictions and sparking hysteria based on “expert” sources. They promised us Hillary Clinton would beat Trump in a landslide because the polling experts said so. Based on poor models and the expertise of professional flip-flopper Anthony Fauci, they overblew the Wuhan virus (after claiming it was racist to call it that) to help tank the economy before the 2020 election — only to have leftist leaders urge for reopening right before Biden’s swearing-in. Based on those same experts, the media also said it would be “impossible” to develop a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year and warned that college football would kill untold masses.
Widespread storming of state capitols based on leaked FBI intel has the same flavor as these other wild predictions. It’s no wonder nobody showed up.
2. Law and Order
As any police academy newbie can tell you, officer presence is the first step in the use-of-force continuum, meaning the mere watchful eye of law enforcement is often enough to stop crime. It makes sense then that even if there were groups of violent thugs looking to wreak havoc on state capitols, the increased officer presence and heightened security would have been enough to stop many of them. Statehouse windows were boarded up and the National Guard and local police were deployed or on alert, mirroring recent action in Washington, D.C., which called in 25,000 Guardsmen following the Capitol riot and before Wednesday’s inauguration.
This new increased officer presence in state capitals completely differs from the left’s utter disdain for law and order in many of the same cities during the Black Lives Matter riots. Back in June, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser demanded that President Trump call off federal and military law enforcement from cities during the George Floyd unrest. Perhaps if Democratic city leaders had taken the threat of leftist violence as seriously as they just took the latest rumors of right-wing demonstrations, our nation’s cities wouldn’t have been plagued with violence for an entire summer, resulting in $2 billion in damages and 30 people dead.
Considering the sudden commitment to law and order, it’s no wonder potential violent agitators were deterred from instigating violence in our capital hubs.
3. Widespread Denouncement of Violence
It’s amazing how quickly the tide of a movement can change after ideological figureheads join in the conversation. When Black Lives Matter and Antifa rioters devasted communities for months on end, not only did many Democratic leaders fail to condemn the violence, but some denied that it was happening or actually encouraged it.
Amid the summer mayhem, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called Antifa a “myth.” Meanwhile, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris helped bail rioters and looters, including a man accused of raping a child and an alleged armed burglar, out of jail. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another New York Democrat, said in August that some groups have “no choice but to riot.”
The media, which incessantly insisted the riots were “mostly peaceful” protests, gave even more cover to the bad actors.
SUERCUT!
Media: Yes, violence is the answer pic.twitter.com/1juSdYtKvD
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 7, 2021
Fast-forward to the recent attack in the District of Columbia, and you’ll find that Republicans immediately and decisively condemned the right-wing extremists.
Violence and anarchy are unacceptable. We are a nation of laws.
This needs to end now. https://t.co/zyrFUFYZm1
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) January 6, 2021
The violence occurring at the United States Capitol right now is simply unacceptable, and I fully condemn it.
Team Scott is safe.
God bless the U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Secret Service for protecting us.
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) January 6, 2021
Those storming the Capitol need to stop NOW.
The Constitution protects peaceful protest, but violence—from Left or Right— is ALWAYS wrong.
And those engaged in violence are hurting the cause they say they support.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 6, 2021
I support peaceful protests but not violence and destruction. People need to leave the Capitol now!
This is a national embarrassment.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 6, 2021
Violence is always unacceptable and must stop NOW.
We solve our problems through debate and peaceful protests, not violence.
Thank God for the brave men and women of Capitol Police.
— Dan Bishop (@danbishopnc) January 6, 2021
Peaceful protest is the right of every American but this attack on our Capitol will not be tolerated and those involved will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 6, 2021
I proudly back the blue and support law and order, which is why I condemned the violence that took place in cities across the nation this summer. It's a national disgrace to have a mob attacking Capitol Police and engaging in anarchy. This is not what America stands for.
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) January 6, 2021
When Democrats hesitated to condemn the BLM violence, if they condemned it at all, the movement ravaged America for months. When Republican leaders cracked down immediately on violent agitators at the Capitol, the nonsense was over in a day. In fact, Congress finished certifying the results of the election the same night.
Between riot warnings being based on sketchy intel and amplified by a partisan media machine, the presence of officers and commitment to law and order, and the unequivocal denouncement of right-wing extremism by GOP leaders, it’s no mystery why our capital cities are safe and sound.
